Andy Moore

It was another beautiful fall in the Bell gardens and outdoor classroom space, even amidst the rainy days that seemed to regularly fall on my days with Mrs. Spillane’s Kindergarten class! Exploring and enjoying the outdoors through various weather patterns is fun for the kids, and it opens their eyes to how plants, insects and other living creatures adapt.

Kindergarteners laughed through many literacy-based lessons —a couple favorites — Sylvia’s Spinach and Sophie’s Squash. We took the Sophie’s Squash lesson to new lengths this year with one class doing exactly what the storybook character, Sylvia, does: we buried the class squash, “Sparkles”; made a sign to mark her spot; and predicted what we would find in the spring after she decomposed! Yes, Kindergartners know all about decomposing vegetables!

Many First Grade classes let their creative energy flow designing, creating, and presenting habitats for a garden creature of their choosing! After talking about the many living creatures that call the Bell Garden their habitat (foxes, turkeys, raccoons, birds, worms, rolley-polleys and so many more), the children were shown a variety of recycled materials they would use to create a habitat, and then they were set free to create! It was difficult to bring this activity to a close. The children were engaged —and many who may not always find the garden to be their cup of tea. This was exciting. The presentations were adorable, detailed, and spoken with pride!

Second Grade embarked on a 5-part lesson and a favorite of mine…ALL THINGS WORMS! You may not realize how many worm experts we have within the Bell Community! The kids learned and experienced building a “worm hotel” (to observe worm’s role as recyclers of our food scraps) and a “worm skyscraper” (to observe worm’s tunneling capabilities that provide water and oxygen to plant roots). They learned about worm’s body parts and experimented with the worm’s sense of smell (worms don’t have noses but do have sensory capabilities through their skin). The kids took to writing about their worms, and ultimately putting them into the garden —their natural habitat —to do their very important job of improving the quality of our soil.

A Third Grade class learned about cover crops and the value they provide to a garden (nutrients for the soil) that is being “put to bed” for the winter, and then planted a variety of seeds: crimson clover, winter rye, hairy vetch, and tilling radish.

Although the cold weather has set-in, stay tuned for information about 2nd Graders working, playing and learning with Change is Simple (http://www.changeissimple.org/), an environmental education group out of Beverly. We are thrilled to have received a grant from the Friends’ of the Marblehead Public Schools for a 3-part workshop that will begin in March.Thank you for the opportunity to learn and explore with your children! Warm regards, Jean

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We had an excellent turn out for Open House on September 12th. This is an opportunity to learn more about your child’s education and learning experiences.. Supporting your child’s education by attending school events is one way you show your child the importance of school, and their efforts at school. Read more from the October Newsletter!

HAVE A GREAT SUMMER! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE ON THE PTO, ORGANIC GARDEN AND CULTURAL ENRICHMENT TEAMS AND ALL THE VOLUNTEERS & PARENTS WHO HAVE HELPED BRING LOTS OF FUN, LEARNING AND EXCITEMENT TO THE BELL SCHOOL STUDENTS THIS YEAR!

Support Bell School

The Bell School PTO welcomes and appreciates your support throughout the school year – whether that is by volunteering your time, providing financial donations or supplying skills, expertise or materials required by the school.

FIELD DAY: Bell SchoolField Day is this Thursday, June 21! Thank you to all the parents who’ve signed up to come and help run the event. We are short on volunteers for the Kindergarten (10:55 – 11:55) and 3rd grade (1:20 – 2:20) slots.Please check out our Field Day Sign Up and join us if you can. Please ensure your children come appropriately dressed and sun screened – they’ll be running around, dancing, jumping and getting wet outside for an extra hour that day!

SUMMER ORGANIC GARDEN CARE PROGRAM: We’re looking for some Bell families to adopt a week during the summer months to help water, weed, harvest and care for the school gardens. It is a nice way to keep your children involved with the entire growing season – as you’ll be caring for the vegetables and flowers that they planted from seed this Spring! Please consider volunteering your time for a week to keep the gardens growing throughout the summer. Check out our sign up here.

NEW I-PAD INVESTMENT: At our last PTO meeting, we voted to invest in two new iPad carts for the school with the money raised from the Fun Run and other events. The school will get 50 new devices with keyboards housed in two carts ready for the next school year. Principal Donna Zaeske was delighted and thanked the PTO and all the parents for their support. This extra technology will make a huge difference to the kids in every grade – and will especially help prepare 3rd graders for taking on-line MCAS tests.

NEW GARDEN SIGN MADE & INSTALLED: Anthony, father of first grader RykerGenest, kindly made a beautiful new sign for one of our students’ favorite outside areas – the ‘Touch and Smell’ garden. See photo above. Thank you Anthony!

Cultural Enrichment

The cultural enrichment programs at Bell School are fully funded by the PTO – and only made possible due to the funding we generate by volunteering at the Magic Hat. This includes the many visits, workshops and presentations the kids enjoy throughout the year plus the lessons the children get involved with in the school’s Organic Garden.

ARTIST GILES LAROCHE: Illustrator and author Giles LaRoche has once again been working with visual arts teacher Tammy Nohelty and 3rd graders on an amazing ‘cut-paper’ art project, supported by the Cultural Enrichment program. Take a look at the scene of Marblehead above which they created and was on display at Fine Arts Night last week. More photos will be posted on our website. Check out the wonderful work on display in school now.

CONGRATULATIONS BELL STUDENT ARTISTS: Well done to the following students who have been honored with community exhibitions and awards!

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Illustrator and author Giles LaRoche has once again been working with visual arts teacher Tammy Nohelty and Bell School 3rd graders on an amazing ‘cut-paper’ art project, supported by the PTO’s Cultural Enrichment program. Take a look at the scene of Marblehead in the photos which they created using the skills they learned from Giles in a recent workshop and pop into school to check out the real thing!

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About Bell PTO

Bell Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization is here to help you feel connected to the Marblehead schools, to communicate what’s going on, and to help foster school spirit.

We also support the school through our commitment to fundraising. Through our fundraising we are able to give directly back to the students and teachers at Bell Elementary School in the way of curriculum supporting programs, materials, grants and fun events and activities.